Best Practices_ Integrating Technology into the Classroom Syllabus

Course Syllabus Preparation / AVATAR
Be prepared to have an answer for each category listed below.
* Items must be completed.
Best Practices: Integrating Technology into the Classroom (in-district)
*Course Name
Professional Learning Communities, Online, and Instructor Support
Course Type
*Keyword Data Technology
*Contact Information Kevin Teno, kteno@sioux-central.k12.ia.us, 712-283-2571
Prerequisite Notes None
Marc Prensky, author of “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants,” says
that “today’s students think and process information fundamentally
differently from their predecessors.” He also says that “the single
biggest problem facing education today is that our digital immigrant
instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital
age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new
language.” In his article, “Engage Me or Enrage Me,” he says that
“it’s not relevance that’s lacking for this generation, its engagement.”
“The Rigor and Relevance Framework” by William Daggett states
that “using instructional technology falls into the application and
adaptation quadrants.” Iowa has embarked on high school reform
utilizing Mr. Daggett’s work on rigor and relevance. “Students are
typically highly interested in technology and their lives are inundated
*Research with it.” (Daggett, 2007).
Educators are looking for ways to get today’s kids more involved in
their schoolwork. “The key,” says Prensky, “is not curriculum,
certification or testing, but rather engagement.” He argues forefully
that this generation is not in need of better content, but of more
engaging approaches, more understanding, and 21st century skills.
“To best help today’s unengaged students learn,” says Prensky, “we
need to provide them with learning that motivated them…”
District information shows: Our technology goal is to increase student
proficiency on the eighth grade technology literacy assessment. There
is also a mandate from No Child Left Behind and Iowa Core for all
students to have technology competencies by the end of eighth grade.
Instruction based on the new ISTE NETS*S standards and
performance indicators for students will yield greater skills in
creativity and innovation; communication and collaboration; research
*Rationale and information fluency; critical thinking, problem solving, and
decision making; digital citizenship; and technology operations and
concepts. Our goal is to promote leadership and innovation in the use
of technology to enhance education.
Grade Range Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, and High School
Classroom teachers will more effectively deliver instruction aligned
to the Iowa Core Curriculum by using a variety of instructional
*Impact on Teaching technologies appropriate for the learning so that students will use
and Learning technology tools to enhance their learning, increase productivity, and
promote creativity.
Students in the classroom will also use productivity tools to
18-Jun-11
Course Syllabus Preparation / AVATAR
Be prepared to have an answer for each category listed below.
* Items must be completed.
collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare
publications, and produce other creative work.
Technical support will enhance teaching with technology.
Theory will be presented by the instructors and by various presenters
*Theory
in their Professional Learning Communities.
Participants will receive the theory through modeling by the
instructors and through members of their Professional Learning
*Demonstrations Communities while reviewing the Iowa Core materials as well as
technology resources.
Teachers will utilize before and after school opportunities to become
*Opportunities for
competent in utilizing technology. Coaching and feedback will occur
practice and Feedback
in Professional Learning Communities as well as through online
Options
communication.
Access to hardware, software, Internet applications, and
*Class Materials classroom materials will be available to all participants.
General Education Teacher, Special Education Teacher, Early
Childhood, Gifted and Talented Teacher, Guidance Counselor,
Target Audience Curriculum Coordinator, Principal, Superintendent,
Technology, and Library/Media
This class gives teachers an opportunity to connect with the
Best Practices: Integrating Technology into the Classroom.
Specifically, this class will focus on involving and engaging
Sioux Central Community School Teachers with utilizing
*Course Description technology in classroom instruction and assessment.
Technology applications and hardware will include, but not limited
to: Google Docs, social networking sites (blogs, wiki, Twitter, etc),
and other web 2.0 tools; and software and hardware applications as
selected by the district.
This class will utilize a variety of technology tools to work
collaboratively with others to explore, plan, and implement use
of technology tools and strategies to become fluent in
components of technology integration.
Participants will…
Understand:
1. Technological literacy depends on embedding
technological competencies into content curriculum.
*Overview 2. Instructional objectives should drive technology usage.
Know:
1. Technological literacy is every educator’s obligation.
2. Faculty commitment to technological literacy should be
both personal and professional.
3. Every course has the potential to utilize technology.
Be Able To:
1. Identify and define technological literacy as it relates to
department or program curriculum.
18-Jun-11
Course Syllabus Preparation / AVATAR
Be prepared to have an answer for each category listed below.
* Items must be completed.
2. Evaluate technological alternatives to support learning
and instruction.
3. Model effective uses of technology in a variety of
educational settings.
4. Incorporate technological skills into a process of lifelong
learning.
Pedagogy v. Content
Proximal v. Distal
PD Activity Type Learning Team
Learning teams will use a web log to document 15 hours for 1 hour of
*Meetings
credit.
Rubrics Yes, see attached rubric.
Refer to Rubric.
A = Attend and fully participate in assigned collaborative meetings,
active participation in blog, share implementation ideas, AND
submit/demonstrate enhancement of classroom instruction through
the use of a specific number of technology tools as selected by the
district.
B = Attend and fully participate in assigned collaborative meetings,
*Evaluation of
active participation in blog, share implementation ideas, AND
Learning
submit/demonstrate enhancement of classroom instruction through
the use of a specific number of technology tools as selected by the
district.
F = Failure to meet minimum requirements as listed above.
As a result of this class, participants will participate in the following
activities for a minimum of 15 contact hours. Hours will be
documented in a log or online blog. A specified number of
technology integrated lesson plans will be required by the district and
reflected upon in the blog provided.
Those activities are:
1. Demonstrate and model the use of technology hardware
*Class Requirements included to promote effective communication and
collaboration between teacher, student, and others.
2. Demonstrate and model use of Web 2.0 tools (i.e.: wikis, and
blogs); productivity tools and software applications. These
programs will promote technology literacy and other 21st
Century Skills from the Iowa Core: stimulate creativity,
develop innovative products and processes and promote
innovation.
Other requirements include:
18-Jun-11
Course Syllabus Preparation / AVATAR
Be prepared to have an answer for each category listed below.
* Items must be completed.
Attend all sessions
Fully participate in collaborative meetings
Participate in Best Practices Blog
Teachers will have collaborative opportunities to work with their
peers (prefer groups of 3-6) within their topic currently being studied.
*Collaboration
During these meetings teachers will be required to share the expected
classroom implementation of specific topic.
District expectation is that participants will create and implement
*Plan for classroom lessons that show integration of each of the content topics.
Implementation Implementation will occur during the school year. Some lessons may
contain more than one content topic.
Progress check of participant understanding through the use of
*Formative Assessment reflection blog during collaborative team meetings. Technology
of Adult Learners Integration Teachers will be available to assist teachers with
technology integration and provide formative feedback to learners.
Daily through blog and classroom observations.
Schedule of
Implementation
Checkpoint (Learning
teams only)
Iowa Teaching Standards:
ITS 1 - Academic Performance
ITS 4 - Delivery of Instruction
ITS 7 - Professional Growth
Standards ITS 8 - Professional Responsibilities
Iowa Leadership Standards:
ILS 2 – Culture of Learning
Catalog Notes
18-Jun-11